INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTIVITY

Structural Analysis

One of the most widely used NASA computer

programs is NASTRAN ®, an acronym for NASA
Structural Analysis Program. Originally devel-
oped by Goddard Space Flight Center as an aid
to aerospace vehicle design, NASTRAN has been
used in hundreds of non-aerospace applications.
Basically, it performs complex analyses of a
structural design and predicts how various ele-
ments of the design will react to many different
conditions of stress and strain.
Over the years, NASA has improved NASTRAN
to broaden its range of utility. NASTRAN appli-
cations include almost every kind of structure
and construction, and the program's substruc-
turing capability allows different segments of a
structure to be modeled jointly after having
been modeled separately. NASTRAN permits the
effects of control systems, aerodynamic trans-
fer functions and other nonstructural problems,
such as static response to thermal expansion,
to be incorporated in the solution of the struc-
tural problem.

•!!!i!!i!!!!!iiiiiiiiii!iiiii!iiiii!iiiiiiiiiiii_

mB,.io

114
 bon. To optimize the design of the printhead, it
is necessary to maximize the magnetic force pro-
pelling the armaturemand that requires ex-
tremely accurate calculations of the magnetic
_!iiii!iiiiiiiiiiili
field. TI used NASTRAN for that purpose and
was able to develop the optimum geometry for
a new printhead entirely by NASTRAN simula-
tion. At far left is the printhead cone and arma-
ture of TI's impact printer; at left is a NASTRAN
analysis of the armature and the magnetic field.
NASTRAN predictions were proved accurate
by testing of the first prototype, which sharply
reduced the very substantial prototyping costs
of conventional test models. NASTRAN was

then employed to develop all of the mechanical

and structural parts of the printhead, such as
the needles, wire guides and housing.
Trs Central Research Laboratories also used

NASTRAN in designing a deformable mirror

Anexample
ofindustrial
useofNASTRAN
is its device (DMD) that has several applications in

employment by DeVlieg-Sundstrand, Belvidere, non-impact printing, where it can replace the

Illinois, a company which manufactures machine laser and the rotating mirror of conventional

tools that produce parts for other machines; laser printers. TI was unable to predict accu-

shown at left above is the company's horizontal rately the behavior of the DMD (top photo),

machining center. These machine tools must be which was dependent upon the electric field and

able to maintain a certain rigidity during tempera- mechanical properties. Researchers employed
NASTRAN to model the DMD and, with the
ture and load changes associated with the manu-
combined results of various analyses, were able
facturing process; their rigidity determines their
accuracy and prevents production errors in the to predict the voltages required for operation

machine parts. NASTRAN is used in the design _- and indicate ways in which efficiency might be
increased. At left above is a NASTRAN analysis
of machine tools to predict the design's rigidity.
Another NASTRAN user is Texas Instruments of electric potential in the DMD. Here again, NAS-

(TO, Temple, Texas, which uses the program as an TRAN allowed accurate prediction of the effect

aid in designing impact and non-impact printers. of design changes without the large expense of

Dot matrix impact printers form characters by prototype production.

means of a series of actuator mechanisms that NASTRAN is available to private industry

fire needles at an ink ribbon to transfer ink dots through NASA's Computer Software Management

to paper. Each actuator mechanism has a tiny and Information Center (COSMIC) ®. Located at

magnetic core and an actuator coil, an armature the University of Georgia, COSMIC maintains a

and a print needle. The printhead is a circular library of computer programs from NASA and

arrangement of a large number of such assem- other technology-generating agencies of the

blies; in operation, the printhead moves across government, and offers them for sale at a frac-

the paper to produce characters. tion of the cost of developing a new program.

Generation of a magnetic field causes the ®NASTRAN and COSMIC are registered trademarks of
armature to propel the needle toward the rib- the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

115